Notes from Chris

Episode 2930

Like many passionate professionals, David found himself cobbling together side hustles around his church duties, from dog walking to handyman work. While these gigs helped, they left him exhausted from constantly trading time for money. That's when a game-changing conversation with a church member pointed him toward Side Hustle School. Inspired by stories of entrepreneurs who'd broken free from the time-for-money trap, David realized he needed to shift his thinking from selling services to selling products.

The perfect opportunity was hiding in plain sight. As a lifelong Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast, David's "aha moment" struck during a gaming session when a friend showed off some custom dice. The name hit him like lightning: "Dice Envy." Sometimes the best business ideas come from combining your passions with a hungry market!

Working with a designer friend, David transformed his vision into professional designs. Then came the leap of faith—finding a manufacturer on Alibaba. Despite the natural nervousness of working with overseas partners, David's careful vetting paid off. He found reliable manufacturers who not only delivered quality products but became true partners, even helping prevent costly mistakes by flagging designs that wouldn't work.

Smart systems made scaling possible. David built his empire on Squarespace, diversified across Facebook, eBay, and his own website, and keeps everything running smoothly with Shipstation. When he needed affordable design work, he turned to Fiverr—proving you don't need a massive budget to look professional.

The initial investment of $3,000 covered everything from inventory to legal fees—and that leap of faith quickly turned into $2,800 monthly. Custom dice turned out to be social media gold, with Instagram and Pinterest driving steady traffic while Facebook brought in direct sales.

Not everything went perfectly. Early advertising mishaps taught valuable lessons about campaign management, and inventory forecasting remains a constant puzzle. But David keeps innovating, rolling out a subscription box service and hitting the convention circuit to meet his customers face-to-face.

The best part? David's no longer stressed about finances, allowing him to focus more energy on his true calling as a Pastor. With the extra income helping to fund his upcoming wedding, this side hustle has become more than just a business—it's a gateway to greater freedom and fulfillment.

Listen to today's episode to learn more...

 

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  SEE ALSO:

• Catholic Designer Creates Stylish Apparel Line: What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but not sell any t-shirts? This designer cast his bread upon the waters and ended up with a profitable fashion line.
• Seattle Couple Creates New “Income LiveStream”: When a married couple runs into logistical problems at their wedding, it leads to an innovative service that other engaged couples need during the pandemic.
• Role-Playing Pastor Rolls The Dice On $2800/Month Hustle: Listener success story! This Presbyterian minister turns to his lifelong interest in role-playing games to set up a sustainable second income source.

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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